Additional Notes on the Lepidopterous fauna of San Cataldo (Southern Italy). Notes from a collecting trip in the spring and early summer of 1931. By J. G. Worm-Hansen.
In Entom. Medd. Vol. XVI 1930 p. 425-432 I published the results of my collecting at San Cataldo near Amalfi in Southern Italy in August-September 1928. These results have encouraged me to investigate the spring fauna of that region, and renewed grants from the institutions "San Cataldos V enner" and "Julius Skrikes Stiftelse" enabled me to stay for a month - from mid May tu mid-June 1931- in San Cataldo. For these reiterated grants I beg the said institutions to re ceive my best thanks. This collecting in May-June gave a somewhat greater yield than that made in the late summer. This time I could hand over about 3200 specimens of arthropods to the Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen. As regards the Lepidoptera, the number of species is greater than in 19 2 8, and more and more species appeared towards mid June; this time too, I had to be content to catch what could be taken with a catcher in the day-time; the sugaring did not give any results, and, peculiarly enough, illumination of a distended sheet by means of an acetylen hand-lantern in the night-time did not show any yield either. The only thing attracted by the il luminated sheet was - an Orpctes-beetle. I got the impression that all insect life disappeared together with the sun. Perhaps the mountain slope was too dry, perhaps the bats interfered; only the numerous fire-flies were seen moving about, sparkling, un affected by the bats. 278
In the list below the species are arranged m conformity to Spuler: Die Schmetterlinge Europas.
Papilio podalirius L. Only one- freshly emerged - spe cimen caught June 9th on a glade in the chestnut wood at a height of 800 m, most probably a precursor of the 2nd brood. I sought in vain for the caterpillar during my whole stay; pos sibly the species theil was in the pupal instar of the 2nd brood. Papilio machaon L. Freshly hatched specimens were rather often met with in May, rubbed and more darkish coloured spe cimens in June, but it was far from being as numerous as in September 19 2 8. I took a full-grown larva on June 9th; it was distinctly differing from Danish specimens in being of a light bluish green, and missing the black spots; it pupated June 15th (the day of my departure), but it did not succeed in emerging. Pim·is brassicae L. A few rubbed specimens in May. Fre quent- freshly hatched specimens - from June 7th. Pieris rapae L. Common during my whole stay. Pieris ergane H. G.? 7 specimens from May 23rd to June 6th. See the remarks in Entom. Medd. XVI p. 426; possibly they may be ergane ab. 9 magnimaculata Rostagna (after Seitz). Pieris napi L. Only a single specimen, a little male nana Seitz), on June 4th. Piel'is tlaplidice L. Did not occur up in the mountains; a few specimens down at Amalfi, on May 29th and June 11th. Euchloe cardamines L. Rather frequent in May, last ob servation May 25th. Colias hyale L. A single 0 June 1Oth. Colias edusa F. A few rubbed specimens in May. After a shower on May 31st freshly hatched specimens appeared, there after rather frequent and freshly emerged specimens only. A full grown caterpillar caught on May 24th. Colias edusa F. 9 ab. helice Hb. 2 specimens caught May 31st and .Tune 9th. Gonepteryx rhanmi L. One rubbed 0 June 11th. Gonepteryx cleopatra L. Rather common, freshly hatched specimens in June. Leptidia sinapis L. In copse wood, common in May, single specimens in .June. sinapis L. gen. aest. tliniensis B. Freshly hatched specimens June nth, 11th and 13th. 279
Charaxes iasius L. This fine butterfly was observed flying near the outskirts of the chestnut wood above San Cataldo (800 -900 m) on June 14th. Limenitis camilla Schiff. Rubbed June 5th; the specimen . was considerably bigger than the specimens taken in August 1928 {)f the 2nd generation. Vanessa io L. 1 specimen June 12th. Polygonia egea Ch. Only occurred in the valleys; 2 spe '()imens at Majori on May 25th and 3 specimens at Atrani and Amalfi on June 11th. Pyrameis atalanta L. Rather commen on the slope in May -June, often swarming together with the following. Pyrameis cardui L. Rather common, freshly hatched spe ·cimens from June 8th. 1\Ielitaea didyma 0. Larva frequent along paths and in copse ·wood in May. Imago from June 4th. :Nielitaea athalia Rott. Imagines abundant from June 11th. Larva common in copse wood May-June; some specimens hatched in Copenhagen from June 20th to 24th. IIIelanargia galatea L. Appeared for the first time June 4.th, and was rather common mid-.June in copse wood round San ·Cataldo. lUelanargia arge Suh. This endemic Italian butterfly was common on the slopes round San Cataldo, even in the garden of the monastery it was observed. I saw it for the first time on May 22nd and it became more frequent day by day. After June 9th it decreased in number, and June 14th mostly rubbed spe cimens were found. Satyrus statilinus Hfn. (v. allionia F.). A full-grown larva under a stone on May 26th. Satyrus semele L. Appeared already June· 12th (1 9). Epinephele jurtina L. 0 0 had appeared when I arrived on May 15th and were frequent the whole time. 9 9 (ab. l1ispulla Hb.) from the beginning of June. Epinephele ida Esp. Some few specimens (captured 6) on June 11th and 12th. Only 0 o. Coenonymplm arcania L. In the chestnut wood and on uncultivated slope. 7 specimens from June 9th to 14th. Coenonympha pamphilus L. gen. aest. Esp. Very common the whole time. In a few specimens, especially females, the dark edge was very faint. Pararg·e eg·eria L. Hather eommon in copse wood, last time .June 12th, rubbed. 280
Pararge megaera L. Common during the whole time. Pararge maet•a L. Rather common during the whole time .. Thecla ilicis Esp. Larvae on young oaks May 17th, hatched June 9th. Imagines, especially 0 O, abundant on the flowers (milfoil flowers) in eopse wood from June 6th. CaUophrys rubi L. Several specimens May 27th-June 12th, as a rule rubbed. Chrysophanus alciphron Rott. Abundant from June 7th. Chrysophanus phlaeas L. The typical form, occasionally, but not common. Lycaena argus L. (v. corsica Bell?). Big specimens, the black edge very broad, underside of a light bluish-grey. By com parison with material from the Zoological Museum found to be very much like L. cleobis Brem. 2 0 0 .June 10th and 14th. I~ycaena baton Brgstr. A fresh specimen May 19th. A rub- bed specimen June 6th. J,ycaena astrarche Brgstr. Common during the whole time. Lycaena eumedon Esp. 6 specimens from June 9th to 14th. J,ycaena eumedon Esp. ab. privata Stgr. 2 specimens of this rare aberration on June 14th. Lycaena eros 0. 2 0 0 May 22nd and 24th. J,ycaena icarus Rott. Very common. Two 9 9 with bluish scales; proximal eye-spots absent on the underside of the fore wings (as in L. astrarche). Lycaena hellargus Rott. Common during the whole time. J,ycaena sehrus B. This Blue of the Alps was abundant in the mountains near San Cataldo from May 17th to June 10th. J,ycaena minima Fuessl. Very common in :May; rubbed spe cimens in June. I~ycaena semiargus Rott. Abundant from June 4th. Lycaena cyUarus Rott. Fresh specimens in May; rubbed specimens in the beginning of June. Cyaniris argiolus L. A male on the 11th and a female on the 13th of June. Adopaea actaeon Esp. 1 specimen June 12th. Augiatles sylvanus Esp. Single specimens and not common, from June 6th. Carcllarodus lavaterae Esp. Some specimens (one specimen captured) swarming on a glade in copse wood at Minuto .Tune 6th. Pygrtis orbifer Hb. Some specimens from May 28th to June 14th. sao Hb. Abundant from May 21st to .June 14th. 281
Scelothl'ix earthami Hb. 4 specimens from May 27th to June 9th. Scelothrix alveus Hb. Abundant from May 27th to June Hthp Scelothrix malvae L. 5 specimens from May 26th to June 9th. Thanaos tagcs L. 3 specimens at the Ravello brook May 24th and June 9th. lUacroglo,;sa stcllatarum L. Single specimens May 26th, June 11th and 13th. A half-grown larva June lOth. I"asiocampa trifolii Esp. Half-grown larvae in May, full grown larvae in June. Saturnia pyri Schiff. 2 specimens, 0 and 9, May 31st. (The species is supposed to be abundant at San Cataldo. In the beginning of May 1 9 2 6 the late Do cent R. H. 8 t a m m of Co penhagen captured a freshly hatched female in the vicinity of the monastery. The animal was kept living, and in the evening a considerable number of males came flying through the open windows and doors of the monastery, attracted by the captive female). Saturnia pavonia L. Larvae in considerable numbers, small -gregarious-- on blackberries etc. in May, half-grown, singly,. in June. I took with me a number of living larvae to Copen hagen, which pupated in July, but only one, a female, was hatched on February 12th 1932. A closer investigation on January 30th. 1933 showed that a pupa was still alive during the 2nd hibern ation; Imago emerged February 28th 1933 (c)). Lymantria dispar L. Small larvae numerous in May on various trees and bushes (oak, thorn etc.) full-grown in June. A series af 0 d. and 9 9 hatched from July 9th to July 15th, in Copenhagen. GUamestra brassicae L. 1 specimen in Rome May 14thl. ltiamestra serena F. 1 full-grown larva captured June 13th. JUiselia oxyacanthae L. Full-grown larvae on thorn on the high plateau at Porta di Canale, 1200 m altitude, on May 20th. Dryobota protea Bkh. 3 full-grown larvae on young oaks May 17th. Aporophyla nigra Hw. One larva captured in June. Bryophila umralis Forst. In rainy \\'eather I captured 4 larvae on a lichen-grown wall on May 18th. Oporima croceago F. A full-grown larva in May. The larva enclosed itself in the cocoon in June, but did not pupate till September (in Copenhagen). Imago emerged October 25th. Cucullia blattariae Esp. Larvae abundant on brown-wort on uncultivated mountain slopes from the beginning of June. As 282
I could not procure the host plant in Copenhagen, I only took a few living specimens with me, which were about to pupate on June 15th. 2 Imagines were hatched March 6th and 13th 1932. Toxocampa sp. A half-grown larva captured June 8th has not been determined as yet. Hcliothis Larentia galiata Hb. Some specimenB at the lamp-posts on the Scala-road in day-time on l\lay 15th, 17th and 2:3rd. I,m·entia fl:wofaseiata Thnbg. 1 specimen May ~lOth. I~arentia bi1ineata L. Common during the whole time. Tephroelystia oblongata Thnbg. 1 specimen May 28th. Abraxas adustata Sch. 1 specimen May 26th. Deilinea pmmria L. 4 specimens from May 30th to June U,th. Ennomos erosaria lib. Of this species which otherwise has its flying-season in the after-summer, from end July till September, I caught a female on oak June loth. Boarmia gemmaria Brahm. I caught a larva (on oak ?J on May 17th, imago, a female, emerged June lOth. I also captured a male May 2.1 st and a female June 5th. Gnoplws respersaria Hb. 1 specimen June 6th. Gnoplws mucidaria Hb. 2 specimens May 28th and June 4th. 'L'hamnonoma sparsaria Hb. According to Seitz a rare spe- cies which has only been met with in North- and Mid-Italy. At San Cataldo in South-Italy it flew, when startled, among young oaks in a locality, where e. g. Thee/a ilicis Esp. was found. I caught 2 specimens, a female May 17th and a male May 19th. Phasiane elathrata L. Singly in the outskirts of the chest nut wood. Captured May 28th and June 7th. Scodiona eonspersaria F. A male on May 27th and a fe male .June 12th. Percoma strigiHaria Hb. From May 27th common on the slopes. Chloephora bieolorana Fuessl. A full-grown larva on oak May 17th. Syntomis phegea L. Larvae abundant on different low plants or crawling on the ground along mountain paths. A number of Imagines hatched in Copenhagen from June 26th to July 4th. Dysauxes pnnetata F. One specimen June 6th. Spilosoma menthastri Esp. 3 specimens at the lamp-posts m the day-time May 16th to 29th. Arctia villiea L. One larva in May, Imago emerged June llth. On and from May 23rd I now and then startled ImagineR on slopes and in the chestnut wood. I captured 3 specimens. Coscinia crihrum L. LlJrvae abundant in May. Imagines from May 29th. I captured 4 specimens all of the var. can dida Cyr. Lithosia caniola Hb. The larva on a wall covered with lichens on May 18th in rainy weather (together with larvae of Brvophila muralis Forst.). Imagines, 3 specimens, from May 25th. 284 Anthrocera tUipendulae L. One specimen June 7th. I caught some Anthrocera-larvae May 28th and 30th and June 9th. By a comparison with Danish material they seemed to be filz'pendulae larvae. Antl1rocera transalpina Esp. The first time May 28th. From the beginning of June rather common in and near woods. Anthrocera transalpina Esp. var. sonentina Stgr. A Danish lady, Miss A. Joker, brought me one specimen from Sorrento on May 30th. Anthrocera transalpina Esp. var. calabrica Calb. One spe cimen which I caught June 11th in the Minuto "-ood below San Cataldo presumably belongs to this species. The animal is very dark, the hind wings mainly black and the forewings with 5 small spots only. Ressembles A stoechadis Bkh. Anthrocera oxytro}Jis Boisa. The most common of the Anthrocera species. It was on the wing from May 17th, was abundant May 28th, but decreased perceptibly in numbers from June 8th. On June 13th mostly rubbed specimens were found. Rhag;a Nomophila noctueUa Schiff. Common from May 23rd, but not numerous. Phlyctaeno